Contact Information

Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG)

The Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) was founded in 1976 at Lesley University, and is now part of Endicott College. PERG is recognized as one of the few evaluation groups in the country to have the capacity and diversity of expertise to address the broad range of projects included in our work. In addition, the group is valued by our clients and funders as a contributor to the larger effort of education reform.

The projects PERG evaluates serve learners in multiple settings in both formal (K-12 and higher education) and informal education (museums, community centers, etc.). Many of these projects bring together business partners, mathematicians and scientists, policy makers, museum staff and educators, as well as the general community. Since its founding by George Hein and Brenda Engel in 1976, the Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) has carried out approximately 700 program evaluations; sponsored workshops, courses, and other educational activities; and engaged in a range of foundation and government-sponsored research studies. Principal clients have included states, universities, school districts, museums and aquariums, foundations, and arts organizations implementing projects funded by agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Endowment for the Humanities, the U.S. Department of Education, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the American Association for State and Local History.

PERG's staff and associates have expertise in the arts, sciences, and mathematics; child and adult development; organizational development; and museum studies and education. They bring to their work not only skills in assessment and evaluation, but also content knowledge appropriate to the various programs PERG evaluates.

What We DoThe Program Evaluation and Research Group offers program evaluation services for projects of all sizes in a variety of educational contexts. While this makes up the bulk of our current work, we also conduct original research, and offer professional development and consultation.

Program Evaluation and ResearchPERG has conducted evaluations of a broad range of programs in professional development, science and mathematics systemic reform, curriculum development, informal education, out of school time, arts partnerships, and museum studies. The range of PERG's work provides an excellent view of the organization's capacity to meet the needs of both large and small programs in many different content areas.

Professional DevelopmentWe offer a variety of workshops and courses on evaluation design and methods, such as: